A Weld County Jail detention deputy is facing a felony charge for allegations that he had sex with an inmate at the jail.

Weld County Sheriff's Office

Zachary Cullison

Authorities arrested Zachary Cullison, 26, late Friday on suspicion of sexual conduct in a correctional institution, a low-grade felony that carries at most a one- to three-year prison sentence upon conviction.

According to a news release issued late Friday night, Weld sheriff’s investigators were made aware of allegations of ongoing sexual conduct against Cullison, a detention deputy since August 2016. Deputies were told Cullison engaged in sexual intercourse with a female inmate off security camera view in a housing unit restroom, the release stated. It was alleged that the interaction between Cullison and the female inmate was consensual.

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office started an investigation and later arrested Cullison and began an internal investigation.

“People expect to be able to trust law enforcement in every capacity,” said Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams in the statement.

Denver Sheriff Patrick Firman's resignation this week culminated years of mistrust from deputies and community activists, who said that was the price of filling the position with a man who was never the right person for the job.